


don’t call it quits (cold hard stare)

by inkspillz



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Autistic Caleb Widogast, Body Language, CALEB WIDOGAST HAS CHRONIC PAIN, Chronic Pain, Flirting, Fluff, Other, Pre-Relationship, angst? kinda i see this as positive, canon-typical caleb self loathing, molly has a crush on caleb, mollymauk has adhd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-11-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27727880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkspillz/pseuds/inkspillz
Summary: Molly invites Caleb to join him in the bathhouse, but Caleb makes yet another confession of what he holds inside himself.
Relationships: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 6
Kudos: 101





	don’t call it quits (cold hard stare)

**Author's Note:**

> hey! caleb’s experience is written based off my own w chronic pain everyone experiences it differently!!
> 
> also yes i will be writing widomauk in 2020 tyvm

“Caleb?” Molly practically lept onto the bed of the ginger, causing the book to be thrown from his knees as he jumped.

The two were sharing a room this time, Fjord refusing to deal with Molly’s midnight returns. They were staying in a nicer area of town and every room had two beds so Caleb had no objections when Jester had offered his name up. That is until this moment, Molly suspected.

The corner book dropped onto Molly’s nose, which caused him to wince in pain. Caleb down through his knees, spread from the startle. “Ja, Mollymauk? What is it you want?” He grabbed the book and shut it, pulling his knees back together, closer to his chest. He wrapped one arm around them, setting the book between his thighs and ankles with the other.

As Caleb closed himself off, Molly shot up, “I want you to go to the bathhouse with me.”

Caleb wrapped his other arm around his legs as he stared into knees, “Go by yourself.”

Molly frowned, “It’s dark out, and I have no one to protect me from danger, I need a companion.”

“You can protect yourself. Besides, you’ve found companions for bathhouses before, what’s stopping you now?” 

“I have, dear. He’s strong and would protect me… whether that be in his arms or with is magic.” Molly kicked his legs behind him as he looked up at Caleb, “He’s just gotta accept my offer.”

“Mir leid, do you mean another or myself?” Caleb did seem more interested now, his grip loosening just slightly.

Molly poked at Caleb’s leg, “You.”

Caleb blushed, “I’m not-”

“Don’t wanna hear it.” Molly cut in, knowing the mans self doubt talk was coming. He sighed and sat up, looking at the pretty man before him, “Look, I’m not going to do anything, hands off of Mister Caleb.” He raised his hands in a show of innocence and Caleb's feet slid out just slightly closer. Molly smiled, “I won’t force you to come either, but it would be nice to have your company.”

“Mollymauk, danke. I would like to, I really would.” He smiled gently, eyes flicking up to Molly’s face for the first time that night.

He had been close, but now he was just confused, “And why can’t you join me, doll?” His arms pulled tighter and Molly’s heart twinged in the thought he’d ruined the comfort between them. 

Then Caleb spoke, “It doesn’t leave the room, ja?” Molly nodded, concerned. “Some soldiers… Their bodies crack under the years of stress and they have constant pain, relentless despite their bodies being fine. Mine does that, but it’s always been like this, it wasn’t caused by war. When I was younger ankles would be sprained out of no where and last a week, but that was it. When that happened, it made it worse, I suppose. After the age of 16 my body has always been in pain, some days are worse than others.” Molly’s heart wrenched, he’d been hurting this whole time and no one knew. “I can deal with it, I’m not going to bitch on missions about it when the worst thing that happens are my knees collapsing. It won’t kill me to push past the pain. Sheiße, it’d be selfish since I’m still capable of doing it.”

“Caleb. Caleb, darling. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish.” Molly cut in.

Caleb shook his head, “It’s going to hurt anyway, pushing it just makes it worse then and the next day. Showering… the warm water, it relaxes my muscles which is an amazing relief, but it makes it so much harder to move. Lifting soap to my hair is hard, it feels like I’m carrying a pile of books. Then theres spreading it around, and rinsing it out. It’s just so hard to do a simple task and it makes me hate myself for how weak I am.”

Molly put a hand on Caleb’s jaw, sliding it down to his chin to have him look up at him. “Goddamnit, you’re strong. Widogast, you are so strong. Let me take care of you, I can wash you off, you just relax.” Molly saw Caleb’s eyes stare at his lips, but for once he disregarded it, this was more important.

A realisation struck Caleb’s face and he pulled away, “Don’t pity me, Mollymauk. Not you.”

“I’m not, doll. Fuck, it’d be a treat to take care of someone as gorgeous as you.” And because were being honest tonight he let himself keep talking, “Knowing you’d trust me that much. To be in that situation with me, sounds strange, but that would make me happy.” The ‘loved’ that he wanted to say he refused to speak, it scared him.

Caleb’s arms dropped and his legs no longer pressed against his body, and he tilted his head like a cat in questioning, “Then, Molly?”

Molly snapped out of the thoughts and emotions flooding his head, “Yes, dear?” 

Caleb blushed, he took the book from his legs and put it on the bedside table, “I’ll accept your offer.” He slid off the bed, “I’m not sure I can protect you too much though.”

Molly grinned, his tail moving side to side excitedly behind him as he followed Caleb’s lead, “I can protect us both, anyway you want.”

**Author's Note:**

> HAYYY title from ‘eros’ by young the giant!
> 
> i’ve wanted to use it for so long but couldn’t find any work it fit.
> 
> kudos + comments fuel my fire bc unlike some ppl i don’t have magic


End file.
